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September 10, 2016

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I think we can all agree that, unless you are a complete genetic god/goddess, cutting fat requires a certain amount of aerobic activity. Question is... what are the best anaerobic exercises to achieve this? Is there a perfect form of cardio to shift those stubborn pounds?

Like nearly all things in fitness, the method and ultimately the result varies depending on the individual. That being said we are going to look at the most efficient types of aerobic work that will reap the best fat loss results, but it will mean trying them and seeing what works for you. As with all workouts we recommend you hydrate sufficiently and do a lengthy warm up and cool down.

HIIT training

High-Intensity Interval Training is one of the newer and more effective ways to burn fat. One of the many benefits of HIIT style training is it takes a fraction of the time to complete compared to more traditional cardiovascular methods.

Research shows that given the high-intensity nature of HIIT training it can raise your metabolic rate for up to a 24 hour period after, compared to an hour walk which raises it for a couple of hours post completion.

It gives an effective way of burning fat and maintaining muscle as the workout is designed in short fat burning intervals, rather than the muscle you've worked so hard to build up.

It is an excellent way of training your heart; you only get one cardiac muscle so make the most of it. By raising your heart rate to within 90% of its maximum (MHR) you are giving your heart an excellent workout, and one it wouldn't get during traditional aerobic routines.

Workout

A template for a typical HIIT workout is...

+ 1 minute on a treadmill as fast as you can go

+ 1 minute 30 seconds walking

+ Repeat the 2 minute 30 seconds cycle for 15 minutes (6 times)

HIIT doesn't just have to be based around a cardiovascular exercise; another workout could look like this:

+ 3 rounds, 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest

Push-ups

Squats

Butt kicks

Tricep dips

Side lunges

Tabata Training

The basic structure behind a Tabata Workout is work as hard as possible for 20 full seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this 30-second pattern 7 more times to do a full 8 rounds. 8 rounds equal 1 Tabata set.

If you are feeling really motivated you can do a 20-minute workout made up of 4 Tabata sets with a 1-minute rest in between.

You can either choose a cardio style Tabata or a body weight Tabata.

Cardio Can be done on an exercise bike, 20 seconds all-out sprint on medium resistance.

Body Weight Can be done using the same exercise per Tabata set or you can mix and match. Examples include Jump Squat, Burpee, Kettlebell Swing, Mountain climbers.

Circuit Training

Although nothing new, circuit training is a really great way to shift that extra fat as it targets the whole body... providing you choose your exercises right and specific to you. It is also one of the only weight loss methods where you can also see an increase in strength and lean mass gains.

A good basic template for your circuit routine could be:

+ Set up 4 stations of exercises

+ Do 1 minute at each station

+ No rest in between, once completed all 4 exercises that is 1 set

+ 2-minute rest between sets

+ carry out 4 times starting on a different exercise each time

Like we said before, you should choose the exercise to suit your own needs but a rough template is: Squats, Military Press, Deadlifts and Bent over rows.

Alternatively, you can choose 4 exercises that all target a similar muscle group to get the ultimate burn, an example of this would be Standard sit-ups, Plank, Mountain climbers, Crunches. However, we warn you this is not for the faint-hearted!

We hope this has helped and we'd love to hear how you get on. Contact us on any of our social media #TeamRobor

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